Grupo de Teatro VIDA revives Spanish plays for IU students

From the dog pound to the lost and found, Grupo de Teatro VIDA has been bringing Spanish plays to IU students since its first production in 2006.

VIDA consists of IU students and native speakers who perform plays in Spanish to promote awareness and understanding of Hispanic culture.

On Thursday, the group brought four diverse Spanish plays to life through their performances. All four plays presented in “Juegos” included themes of games, confusion and growth people encounter in everyday life.

“Juegos” began with Paloma Pedrero’s “Resurgado Personal (Personal Receipt).” The play focuses on two long time lovers, Gonzalo and Marta, who have recently separated.

Gonzalo comes to Marta’s apartment and fiercely accuses her of stealing his dog, Nunca, and asks her to come back to him. However, Marta refuses. She tells him she brought Nunca to the pound and must get there by 8 p.m. to save her from death.

She tries to leave, but Gonzalo blocks the door and tells her that Nunca will die because of her. Then, Gonzalo leaves a visibly distraught Marta. After he leaves, Marta opens up a box, which reveals Nunca is still alive and that Marta was playing games with Gonzalo.

“This play shows that things aren’t always how they appear to be,” “Personal Receipt” director Cara Kinnally said.

The next play “El Censo (The Census)” by Emilio Carballido was directed by Kyle Lowe.

“The play takes place in a small neighborhood outside of Mexico City in 1945,” Lowe said.

He said that the play focuses on games people play in constructing their identities and the problems that arise when we mistake others identities.

In the play, a census taker comes to a sewing shop to collect information. The drama occurs when the seamstresses’ mistake him as being part of the Mexican equivalent of the U.S. Internal Revenue Services. They attempt to bribe him, but in the end both parties help each other out in spite of their confusion.

Lope de Rueda’s “Las Aceitunas (The Olives)” tells the story of humorous tale of the problems that occur when people attempt to sow their crops before they have been grown. The father comes home from planting olives trees and the family begins to discuss the great olive harvest they will have in six or seven years.

They argue amongst each other about the prospects of the crop until a neighbor comes and offers to purchase the olives to end the argument. The family then tells the neighbor the olives have merely been planted and do not even exist and the play ends.

The final play, “Una Mariposa Blanca (A White Butterfly)” written by Gabriela Roepke decribes an elderly lady who enters a lost and found in search of “un recudero,” which could mean either a memory or a memento.

“The characters are forced to explore past memories and confusion ensues,” co-director Emily Patterson said.

The play deals with characters reflection on the past and illustrates the growth that one elderly woman can cause in a group of individuals. At the end of the play, a white butterfly appears and serves as a metaphor for past memories.

“The plays explore games (juegos) we play in our daily life,” VIDA founder and president Marda Rose said.